The present invention relates to improved chewing gum products. More particularly, the invention relates to improving chewing gum by the use of specific bulking agents in sugar and non-sugar chewing gum products to give improved texture, moisture absorption properties, and improved shelf life properties, including aspartame stability. The improved chewing gum compositions may also be used in a variety of chewing gum products, such as confectionery coated chewing gum products.
In recent years, efforts have been devoted to replace sugar and sugar syrups normally found in chewing gum with other carbohydrates and noncarbohydrates. Non-sugar or sugar-free chewing gum, which is growing in popularity, uses sugar alcohols or polyols to replace sugar and sugar syrups. The most popular polyols are sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol. New polyols are being developed using new technology to replace these polyols. New polyols have various unique properties which can improve the taste, texture, and shelf life properties of chewing gum for consumers.
The non-sugar polyols have the advantage of not contributing to dental caries of consumers, as well as being able to be consumed by diabetics. However, all polyols have the disadvantage of causing gastro-intestinal disturbances if consumed in too great of a quantity. Therefore it would be a great advantage to be able to use a carbohydrate or carbohydrate-like food ingredient for chewing gum that would act as a bulking agent, but not contribute to dental caries nor cause gastrointestinal disturbances.
One such bulking agent comprises fructooligosaccharides (FOS). This bulking agent or bulk sweetener is not approved for use in human food products or in chewing gum in the U.S. However, a GRAS affirmation petition for FOS as a human food ingredient is currently being prepared. The bulk sweetener is approved for use in Japan and is being used in a variety of foods. Although a sugar, FOS does not contribute to dental caries, does not cause as significant of gastro-intestinal disturbances as polyols and does not significantly contribute to calories. Thus, this ingredient's use in chewing gum could be a definite improvement.
Unique types of fructose compounds were first disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,782,123. The sweetener is obtained from Jerusalem artichoke tubers which contain inulin, a carbohydrate composed of fructose and glucose. The inulin is treated by acid hydrolysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,146 discloses a coupling sugar called oligoglycosyl fructose derived from other sugars.
Fructosyl oligomers and oligosaccharides are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,751, EPO Patent Publication No. 0 301 628 and EPO Patent Publication No. 0 337 889.
Branched fructooligosaccharides are disclosed in PCT Publication WO 91/13076.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,902,674; 4,987,124; and 5,032,579 as a method and composition for inhibiting the growth of Salmonella. Fructooligosaccharides are also disclosed in EPO Patent Publication No. 0 397 027 and Japanese Patent No. 3,095,102 as a method for killing pests.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,771 discloses a low caloric, low cariogenic sweetener comprising fructooligosaccharides having from 1 to 4 molecules of fructose bound to sucrose. The use of the sweetener in chewing gum is described in Example 10. The patent is assigned to the Japanese firm of Meiji Seika Kaisha, who have joined forces with ZeaGen Inc. (formerly Coors Biotech, Inc.) to manufacture and market a FOS product under the trade name NutraFlora (sometimes called Neosugar).
FOS is used in Japan as a sweetening agent, flavor enhancer, bulking agent and humectant. The product is also added to Japanese "health foods" to promote the growth of "beneficial" bacteria in the lower gastro-intestinal tract.